System of haulage



E. A. DERUNGS.

SYSTEM -OF HAULAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25.1919.

1,346,447. Patented Jul 13, 1920..

2 SHYEETSSHEIET 1.

E. A. DERUNGS.

SYSTEM OF HAULAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1919.

Patented Jul 13, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- M. [Z Z/ w.

UNITED STATES; PATENT QFFICE;

ERNEST ALPHONSE DERUNGS, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR T0 SOCIE'IE ANONYME ATELIE-RS-OTIS PIFRE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

, SYSTEM OF HAULAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13,1920.

hesion is generally secured'by passing thecable around one or more pulleys carried by the propelled device. This method of operating has the disadvantage that of excessive wear of the cables, on the one hand because of the strain produced by bending them around curves of'small radius and the :resnltingeifects of fiexion produced in the outer strands, and on the otherhand because ofthe slip and'friction resulting from insufficient adhesion.

Another disadvantage is the loss of energy corresponding with the effort required to overcome the rigidity of'the cable and the friction,

The object ofthe present invention is to overcome these drawbacks and to relieve the cable from all stress other than that resulting from its own weight and from the effort of traction so that it is no longer necessary to protect or reinforce the cable, which can therefore be of any construction whatsoever.

The invention comprises the combination of stops, arranged at intervals along the cable, with coupling devices, carried by the tractor and engaging said stops to eifect the propulsion of'the tractor.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for automatically engaging the clips, or equivalent members, of the coupling device with, or detaching them from thestops on the cable, in such way as not to exert any lateral strain on the cable.

The invention. is illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure l is a diagram showing the essential arrangement of the haulage system; Fig. 2 shows, diagrammatically, a method of carrying out the invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a vertical section and a plan ofFig. 2, and Figs. Sand 6 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a modification.

As shown the new system, inits entirety, comprisesa fixed cable a on which members 7), constituting stops, are secured at uniform intervals; A" tractor 0 runs on the ground,

or on a track parallel to the cable, or moves on the water and is-provided with guide pulleys (Z, which engage the cable and insure the relative position of the cable and tractor. The tractor is provided with an endless chame passing over draft pulleys f driven by a motor of any kind whatsoever (not shown). One of these pulleys may serve to keep the chain taut.

Clips 9, adapted to engage with thestops D, are mounted at intervals on the chain 6, the distance between two successive clips being slightly greater than that separating two of the stops 7). The clips are mounted on rocking supports, so as to be held at right angles to the chain while they are in engagement with the stops and so as to move out of the way automatically when the time arrives for them to be disengaged from the sto as.

s the pulleys f, driven by any motor whatsoever are revolved in the direction indicated'by the arrows, the chain 6 brings each of the clips 9, which it supports or propels, successively into position adjacent the cable, a little in front of a stop 7).

Once a clip has engaged with a stop, it remains in engagement therewith until the carriage has moved forward, in the direction: of the arrow .1, through a distance equal to the distance between two clips whereupon said clip moves out of the way,

cable can remain perfectly rectilinear, the

stop not-jsubjectingit to any lateral strain.

In the method of carrying out the inventionshown in Figs. 2 to 4, which is particularly applicable in the case of devices intended to work, at high speed, the clips are'in one piece with the tilting. carriages '7, provided with gnidefrollers z and" connected to the chain c by rigid orelastic attachments The rollers run betweenthe rails 73 70 which keep the clips at right angles to the cable all the time they are intended to be in engagement 'therewlith.

One portion Z of the rail 70 is movable and is adapted to turn downward, as shownon the left of Fig. 2 by pivoting on an axis Z41 This portion of the rail being thus brought into the open position, the rear rollers of the tilting carriage on arriving at the end of the straight section of the rail is, drop attachments may be provided, if desired," with vaspring and a shock absorber, the

latter. responding more particularly to. com- 7 pression; in order not to interfere with the recoil movement necessary for dlsengaging' the clip. V

The device may run in theopposite direction to that indicatedz all that is necessary for this purpose being to close the movable portion Z and open the symmetrical movable portion Z This operation canbe avoided by shaping the profile of the-rail 70, at both ends as represented by the dotted line Z Figs. 5 and 6 relate to'another method of carrying outthe invention, applicable, more 7 particularly, to slowspeed work; The clips .g are pivoted directly on the chain a, each clip is provided with a tailxm, which is engagedbytwo abutments' n, pivoted at n and n on the chain, one of the pivots having a slight" play for the purpose of compensation for variations in the lengthof the chain betweenfthe points 119 and 11?,"according as it 1s straight or curving around the pulleys. 1

When the clip is on a rectilinear portion of the chain, the two abutments adjacent to a clip act simultaneouslyon the tail pieceof the latter and keep the "clip at right angles to the chain- When the leading abutment arrives at that portion of the chain which is curved around the pulley it takes up the 1 position indicated'on'theleft of Fig.v 5, and

theclip tiltsand disengages itself from the cable; The succeeding clip straightens itfront of the stop I) with which'it is to engage. V 7 V i The guide pulleys are not indispensable, but they have the advantage of preventing ixvibration of. the cable and taking up any swaying: so that the cableis always into Jposition exactly over-the clips,

The diagrammatic arrangement in carrying it out, the cable, for instance, be- *ing replaceableby'a rigid rod,"a chain, or

other equivalent system, or by a sheaf of cables operating in parallel or alternatively fwith one or more endless chains; the apparatus mayalso be arranged for several clips and stops to engage at the same time.

The lower portion of the endless chain may be utilized for reversing the direction of running, by causing it to act on the same cable orona second cable. The clips or equivalent members may turn onaxes arranged: in any manner whatsoever.

Claims:

1. In a system of haulage, a fixed cable,

stop balls on the cable, a tractor, an endless .chain carriedbythe tractor, clips carried by the chain, adapted to. strike the stop balls of the cableto produce propulsion.

2." In a system of haulage, a fixed cable, I

stops along this cable, a tractor, an endless OlliLlIl carrled by-the tractor, couphng means carried by this chain and cooperating with the stops 'of the cableto produce pro ulsion,

means for engaging with r the sai stops and automatically disengaging the coupling members. 3. In a system of haulage, a fixed cable,

stop balls alongthis cable, atractor, an endless chain coiiperatingWith the-stops of the cable to produce propulsion, with the aidof clips carried by this chain, in a manner to produce propulsion and checking of the tractor in the-two ways of running, the stops and clips being spaced apart on the cable and chaimthe distance between two successive clips being slightly greater than that separating two of the-stops.

fixed cable,

cally raising the clips andmoving them out of the'way, tilting'carriages carryingthe clips, connected by attachments to the endless chain. i I r v 7 5."In a system of haulage, a fixed cable,

sto psalong this cable, a tractor, an endless chain carried by the tractor, rocking clips carriedby the chain,'adapted to engage with the stops'of-the cable, meansfor automatically'raising the clips and moving them out of the way, tilting carriages with rollers self, by a similar movement, on arriving in carrying the. clips, connected by attachments I to the endless chain, and guide rails for the rollers with an interrupted portion producwith thestops of the cable,means .for autofixed cable, 7

matically raising the clips and moving them out of the way, tilting carriages with rollers carrying the clips, connected by attachments to the endless chain, guide rails for the rollers with hinged parts opening and closing for causing the tilting at the required point.

7. In a system of haulage, a fixed cable, stops along this cable, a tractor, an endless chain carried by the tractor, rocking clips carried by the chain, adapted to engage with the stops of the cable, elastic attachments connecting the said clips to the chain, shock absorbers combined with these attachments.

8.1n a haulage system, a fixed cable, stops on this cable, a tractor, an endless chain, rocking clips carried by the chain and adapted to engage with the stops of the cable.

9. In a haulage system, a fixed cable, stops on this cable, a tractor, an endless chain, rocking clips carried by the chain and adapted to engage with the stops of the cable, means for automatically raising the clips and moving them out of the way.

10. In a haulage system, a fixed cable, stops on this cable, a tractor, an endless chain, clips carried by this chain and describing a twofold movement of tilt and recoil.

11. In a haulage system, a fixed cable, stops on this cable, a tractor, an endless chain, rocking clips carried by the chain and adapted to engage with the stops of the cable, elastic attachments connecting the said clips to the chain.

12. In a system of haulage, a fixed cable, stop balls spaced apart on the cable, a tractor, an endless chain carried by the tractor, clips carried by the chain and adapted to strike the stop balls.

The foregoing specification of my improved system of haulage, signed by me this twenty-third day of June, 1919.

ERNEST ALPHONSE DERUNGS. 

